Another Way to Adapt H2 Wheels

[Alphacowboy]

Just thought I would let you that want to Run H2 wheels on your Dodge that there is another way to do the milling of the centers. Some people have gone the hole saw route, and personally I didnt think that was a very good idea, and kinda seemed hackish. Been told that the only correct way to do it was to have them machined, but for many people, this is cost prohibitive as the whole idea behind using the H2 combo is for cheap wheels and tires. So, I thought, why not try my variable speed router and a flush bit. Well, works like a charm! You could easily do this with the tires still mounted as well, something I have heard can be an issue getting them milled out by a machinist. Also, people worried about the wheels being hubcentric, no problem! After I routed them out, i test fit it, and what do ya know, it fits nice and snug around the hub center! Has the same clearance as the 3rd gen wheels I got. Anyway, here are the pics!

 

[Alphacowboy]

Just another hint, use a variable speed router and use a lower speed. I used speed 2 on my PC router (out of 4) and it worked well. I probably should have used 1 as the faster you go, the more it tents to melt the aluminum then cut it.

 

[nickleinonen]

not knowing that much about router bits. is there a special one you need for metal?

standard carbide woodworking tools is good for most aluminum

 

[Alphacowboy]

standard carbide woodworking tools is good for most aluminum

what he said! As long as you go slow, and if I would have maybe put some oil on it, it would have been perfectly smooth. I only have done one wheel so far, as I wanted to make sure it worked correctly. The others I may toss a couple squirts of oil on it while I am cutting to keep the aluminum from melting and preserve the blade surface.

 

[Alphacowboy]

ttt, thought I would bring this back up as people have been asking about it again lately.



When I finished the other 7 rims I had, I used some oil while cutting them and they turned out beautifully smooth and also fit PERFECTLY over the hubs. Actually, the fit just as well as the aluminum factory wheels around the hub.



Have fun!



PS, I also used the router for cutting the Dodge center caps, mounted the router on its side with a cutting blade, then set the correct depth and turned the cap against the base of the router and it cut them perfectly as well.





[Fixed ]

[ ------- ]--[hub cap]

[router ] [ board ]

-----------------------

[ board ]



sorry for the bad illustration... :-laf

 

[BElliott]

I just finished opening up 5 rims, was easy and worked great. It was also a good excuse to buy a new tool, didn't have a variable speed router.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Alphacowboy]

Glad it worked out for ya Bret! Not too hard is it? And an excuse for new tools is always a plus! Think of it this way, I bet what you would have paid a machinest to do the milling paid for a good chunk of the router, and you get to keep the router!

 

[Smokewagon359]

cool!!!!!!!

 

[jkern]

anyone have pics with the H2 rims mounted on a 2nd gen truck? don't think i have ever saw one... and i am interested to use them on mine.

 

[nickleinonen]

i opened up my h2 wheels with a router like above. . worked great. my PC router is single speed so i ran it at that speed. worked good. .

#ad


found the pic in a readers rig gallery [not sure who's though?]

 

[Partyat33]

Too bad you can't use these wheels on a dually. Or can you ?

 

[BradPatterson]

I had a friend cut mine at his machine shop, I was skeeeeeeeerd. :-laf... ... ... bp

 

[nickleinonen]

i found something out today on mine... don't use the stick on weights on the back side of the wheel. the stick on's if they are close to the outer edge work great [no ugly weights visiable on the outside] but for the rear side, the stick on weights will touch the rear calipers on the 3rd gen's. . i had to shave my weights down a bit so i don't get the click-click-click-click noise while driving down the road

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[Signal73]

what are H2's, 17"s?

 

[Smokewagon359]

Glad it worked out for ya Bret! Not too hard is it? And an excuse for new tools is always a plus! Think of it this way, I bet what you would have paid a machinest to do the milling paid for a good chunk of the router, and you get to keep the router!

Here's my 2002 puller with Hummer wheels. Thanks Alphacowboy!! Your directions made it possible for me to complete last Sunday. And on the front porch no less! I would not be afraid to do a hundred more. I even modded the center caps to fit. #ad

 

[nickleinonen]

what are H2's, 17"s?

gm factory hummer h2 wheels. 17x8. 5", ±5. 25" backspace

 

[Signal73]

Thanks Nick

 

[FLynes]

GM wheels on a Dodge... next thing you know they'll be wanting to put a Duramax in place of the Cummins :-laf

 

[Signal73]

GM wheels on a Dodge... next thing you know they'll be wanting to put a Duramax in place of the Cummins :-laf

Lets not go and get out of hand now:-laf

 

[Alphacowboy]

Here's my 2002 puller with Hummer wheels. Thanks Alphacowboy!! Your directions made it possible for me to complete last Sunday. And on the front porch no less! I would not be afraid to do a hundred more. I even modded the center caps to fit. #ad

Glad it worked out for ya. It truely is very simple. And for those of you that swear on paying a machinest, why? I bet if someone wanted to check it out, the router method is less than a couple thousands off than the machining... and in this case, that is NOTHING.